Thunderbolt 1/2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapter

[BobHas]

H,

Looking ahead I am replacing my 2011 iMac with a newer, similar one (2017ish). On the current machine I have two older external monitors connected, I believe via adapters into the Thunderbolt ports. (it is currently difficult to even access the back of the current machine to look at what is there - its been 5 or 10 years since I had a good look). The new machine is a very similar iMac but several years newer and I think it will have Thunderbolt 3 ports. The whole Thunderbolt world is rather confusing. I think I understand the plug that goes into TB3 is different from what I have on the old machine. I need to prepare to be able to shift the old monitors over and need to figure out the most affordable solution and get it in hand.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

H,

Looking ahead I am replacing my 2011 iMac with a newer, similar one (2017ish). On the current machine I have two older external monitors connected, I believe via adapters into the Thunderbolt ports. ...I think I understand the plug that goes into TB3 is different from what I have on the old machine. I need to prepare to be able to shift the old monitors over and need to figure out the most affordable solution and get it in hand.

The Thunderbolt 1 ports in your 2011 iMac use the same connector as a Mini DisplayPort port, whereas Thunderbolt 3 and 4 use the same connector as a USB-C port. So, your old adapters won't be useful with your newer iMac.

You need to find out which type(s) of input ports are available on your monitors. They might have DisplayPort inputs, mini DisplayPort inputs, DVI or mini DVI inputs, HDMI inputs, or a combination of any of these. (There are even more possibilities if your monitors are really old.)

You will need either adapters, or cable adapters, that mate your newer iMac's Thunderbolt 3 ports with whatever ports your monitors have. If you tell us your make and model of monitors, we can tell you what input ports they have and steer you to suitable adapters.

What you DON'T want to get by mistake is a USB-C adapter that doesn't support Thunderbolt 3. I see users make this mistake all the time. A USB-C adapter will plug into your Thunderbolt 3 ports, but it won't give you the full resolution that your monitor is capable of.

 

[BobHas]

The Thunderbolt 1 ports in your 2011 iMac use the same connector as a Mini DisplayPort port, whereas Thunderbolt 3 and 4 use the same connector as a USB-C port. So, your old adapters won't be useful with your newer iMac.

You need to find out which type(s) of input ports are available on your monitors. They might have DisplayPort inputs, mini DisplayPort inputs, DVI or mini DVI inputs, HDMI inputs, or a combination of any of these. (There are even more possibilities if your monitors are really old.)

You will need either adapters, or cable adapters, that mate your newer iMac's Thunderbolt 3 ports with whatever ports your monitors have. If you tell us your make and model of monitors, we can tell you what input ports they have and steer you to suitable adapters.

What you DON'T want to get by mistake is a USB-C adapter that doesn't support Thunderbolt 3. I see users make this mistake all the time. A USB-C adapter will plug into your Thunderbolt 3 ports, but it won't give you the full resolution that your monitor is capable of.

Thanks. Yes. That is exactly my concern. When I got the 2011 macince I got adapters - a few inch long cable with DVI on the monitor end and TB 1 for the computer end. Now I think I need DVI to TB3. When I search I find similar adapters but they are described as DVI to USB-C. In at least some cases that is after some reference to TB.

The monitors in question are from an earlier MacPro that died - an HP 2509m (says HDMO on the front but I have never even looked for that connection), and an Apple Cinema Display.

The HP is marginal at best - it flickers and is dim most of the time, but it does help sort out the desktop and is a place I put open windows while I am working in others on the other two screens. The Apple is still fine (other than a wee hack to bypass an issue where it plugs into its power adapter - been a long time but as I recall a problem developed involving a sense line of some sort between the monitor and the adapter that prevented it from turning on. I managed to get a tiny bit of foil in that connector to bypass the issue. )

The reason I am particularly concerned about sorting this the way I use the desktop, and the transition from the old to new. This may belong over in a different software tread, but: Right or wrong I park A LOT of icons on my desktop across the three monitors. DIM tells me I have about 250. Apps, files, aliases, folders. When the computer starts without the side monitors everything from the sides lands on top of everything on the main screen. The old machine is "working" pk, but it has developed issues - backup copies with Time Machine and SuperDuper fail with complaints that suggest file structure issues, and I am not certain about the hardware, I don't really know how viable any of my backups will be since they started running into failures.

The basic concern is that I have on the order of 30 years of stuff on the computer and I don't want to loos it, which the way things are going I might (the failure of the MacPro was very traumatic in similar ways...)

 

[zacster]

There is a $49 adapter for TB3 to TB2 that Apple sells. As far as I can tell it is the ONLY one that will work. Nobody else has even tried because it requires a logic board inside to make it work and it isn't just wire to wire or pin to pin. It is bi-directional so it can go either way, and both ways at once. The adapter would plug into the newer machine with the USB-C type connector and then you can plug your mini display port type cables into it. But it is a full Thunderbolt adapter and should work with anything at 20gb.

But from the sound of what you have, you may just want to get newer devices anyway. Is it worth getting a 2017 iMac at this point? I have a late 2015 27" one and I'm looking to replace it with a Mac Mini M2 and using the iMac as the 5k monitor.

 

[BobHas]

How do you use an iMac as a monitor for a new computer running a much newer OS? I am aware of an option on older systems but that stopped being supported well back. I think my 2015 Macbook on Catalina and the 211 iMac on Sierra is the last combination that supported that (I have been keeping the Macbook at Catalina for that and to avoid 32 bit app issues to whatever degree it might be interesting, but that time has passed now.

 

[BobHas]

The Thunderbolt 1 ports in your 2011 iMac use the same connector as a Mini DisplayPort port, whereas Thunderbolt 3 and 4 use the same connector as a USB-C port. So, your old adapters won't be useful with your newer iMac.

You need to find out which type(s) of input ports are available on your monitors. They might have DisplayPort inputs, mini DisplayPort inputs, DVI or mini DVI inputs, HDMI inputs, or a combination of any of these. (There are even more possibilities if your monitors are really old.)

You will need either adapters, or cable adapters, that mate your newer iMac's Thunderbolt 3 ports with whatever ports your monitors have. If you tell us your make and model of monitors, we can tell you what input ports they have and steer you to suitable adapters.

What you DON'T want to get by mistake is a USB-C adapter that doesn't support Thunderbolt 3. I see users make this mistake all the time. A USB-C adapter will plug into your Thunderbolt 3 ports, but it won't give you the full resolution that your monitor is capable of.

I need to identify such an adapter. hopefully not too expensive.

After all, we are starting with DVI on the monitor end so how much resolution is there anyway?

 

[Randy B. Singer]

How do you use an iMac as a monitor for a new computer running a much newer OS?

Luna Display ($80)
https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay/
allows you to use iMacs that otherwise can't be used as an external display, as one

 

[Randy B. Singer]

I need to identify such an adapter. hopefully not too expensive.

So you're looking for a Thunderbolt 3 to DVI adapter cable, is that it?

After all, we are starting with DVI on the monitor end so how much resolution is there anyway?

DVI is a fully digital interface. It's capable of very high resolution, similar to HDMI.

Is this what the input port for your monitor looks like?:

http://vocaro.com/trevor/blog/wp-co...support_mac101_connect_images_connect01-6.jpg

 

[Randy B. Singer]

IF what you need is a TB3 to DVI adapter cable, this will likely do the job:

USB to DVI Adapter Compatible with Thunderbolt 3/4, 3.3ft
https://www.amazon.com/FOINNEX-Comp...book-More-3-3FT/dp/B0C5MBC4FK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa

 

[BobHas]

IF what you need is a TB3 to DVI adapter cable, this will likely do the job:

USB to DVI Adapter Compatible with Thunderbolt 3/4, 3.3ft
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5MBC4FK/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Thanks Randy. I don't know why I could not find that.

Looks right (I think) View attachment 38898 or reference here are pics of what I am using now:

 

[zacster]

Luna Display ($80)
Luna Display — by Astropad
allows you to use iMacs that otherwise can't be used as an external display, as one

I bought one for $60 on Black Friday sale directly from Astropad. It works but can be finicky. I haven't tried a wired connection yet though and it is supposed to be better with that. But of course to do that you need that TB3 to TB2 adapter I mentioned above from Apple.

I'm also trying to make an M1 MBA with a broken screen work but you quickly run out of ports. You need one for power, one for the Luna, and one for the connection. Luna doesn't play well with USB hubs, but maybe I should try one that supports Thunderbolt, which I'm sure is expensive. (Edit: Yes, they are!) After all of this I'd probably be better off just buying a 27" 4k/5k display and have a stable connection that always works.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

...USB hubs, but maybe I should try one that supports Thunderbolt, which I'm sure is expensive. (Edit: Yes, they are!)

It doesn't specifically say so on their Amazon page, but this wonderful hub supports Thunderbolt, has most of the connections that you might need, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg:

Hiearcool USB C Hub Ethernet,4K@60 USB C HDMI Adapter,8 IN1 Multi-Port Type C Adapter 100W PD USB C Dock Dongle Docking Station Compatible for MacBook Pro Air
$36
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Hie...PXW35/ref=psdc_17387627011_t1_B08DHKMQ1D?th=1

 

[BobHas]

It doesn't specifically say so on their Amazon page, but this wonderful hub supports Thunderbolt, has most of the connections that you might need, and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg:

Hiearcool USB C Hub Ethernet,4K@60 USB C HDMI Adapter,8 IN1 Multi-Port Type C Adapter 100W PD USB C Dock Dongle Docking Station Compatible for MacBook Pro Air
$36
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09T9PXW35/?tag=macforums0e4-20

Most likely I am missing something, but that looks like it is saying YSB C, not Thunderbolt. I know almost nothing about this one, but I thought I had seen that TB 3/4 uses the same connector as USB C, but USB C does not necessarily support Thunderbolt.

Sorry, I just lack experiance with almost anything beyond my ancient setup.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Most likely I am missing something, but that looks like it is saying YSB C, not Thunderbolt.

Go back and read what I said in the quotation that you included in your post.

 

[zacster]

I took my own advice and bought a Dell S2722QC 27" UHD 4k display. It is much cheaper than either fixing my cracked screen M1 MBA or buying a new one. I now have a setup that beats my old late 2015 iMac, all for $300. (except now I owe my daughter a new macbook ) I'm joining the modern age here with a monitor that supplies power over the same cable, has a USB hub, and still leaves a Thunderbolt port available, and with Apple silicon. It may be the lowest level of Apple silicon but it beats the pants off the quad core i5.

I still want to try the Luna display with the MBA and the iMac so I can have a 27" screen on every floor of my house.

 

[IWT]

Well done. Lucky you!!

Ian